Spellbound

There’s something magical about Martin’s Beach. Perhaps it has to do with the wizard’s hat shaped sea-stack just off the shore of the beach. Or perhaps it’s because it’s one of the most beautiful beaches on the California Coast. Maybe, even, it’s because getting to this place long enough to enjoy it is a bit lucky.

For those that don’t know the drama of Martin’s Beach here’s the overview: A billionaire bought the land nearby, closed access to it because he claimed it was his, and finally after years of battle, a California judge ruled that he had to follow California law and allow public access back to the beach. With ideal conditions and a beautiful sunset predicted, Willie and I arrived early.

Turns out the landlords aren’t too happy about the judge’s decision and told us if we didn’t pay the $10 parking fee they’d call the cops on us. For the record, the cops did show up, but nothing horrific happened.

This sunset was magical before the light-show began. As the sun began to descend it caused a beautiful orange/yellow glow in the perfectly textured clouds. When the sun dipped below the horizon the clouds lit up in beautiful deep oranges, reds, and pinks, reflecting off the virga. Willie was so overtaken by the sunset he didn’t realize he had become completely drenched from the waves. Like any magic trick, the sunset practically disappeared in 1 instant: 2 minutes after it lit up it had all but disappeared! Luckily I was able to grab a few snaps before the trick ended.